History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c8.s4.1

v1.c8.s4.1

**Terminology.** The common Hindu name for multiplication is *guṇana*. This term appears to be the oldest as it occurs in Vedic literature. The terms *hanana*, *vadha*, *kṣaya*, etc., which mean "killing" or "destroying" have been also used for multiplication. These terms came into use after the invention of the new method of multiplication with the decimal place-value numerals; for in the new method the figures of the multiplicand were successively rubbed out (destroyed) and in their places were written the figures of the product.¹ Synonyms of *hanana* (killing) have been used by Âryabhaṭa I² (499), Brahmagupta (628), Śrîdhara (*c.* 750) and later writers. These terms appear also in the Bakhshâlî Manuscript.³